Carbon monoxide poisoning in a motor vehicle.

political analyst

Last year, during the first lockdown, a man died in his car while it was parked along the cars of friends who he met on a field. I read about the inquest in a local paper shortly before Christmas.

The morning after their meeting (They slept in their cars), his friends noticed he wasn't responding when they knocked on the window and so they shook the car in an attempt to wake him.

Initially, it was believed to be a case of sudden adult death syndrome. After an additional blood test was carried out, the cause of death was revealed to be carbon monoxide poisoning. The inquest gave an open verdict.

There was no indication of the engine being left on overnight. There was also no indication of a hose connecting the exhaust pipe to the interior of the car. Therefore, there's no evidence of suicide in this case. So what might have caused carbon monoxide poisoning in this case?

alias no.9

Tragic circumstances. Carbon monoxide is is associated with incomplete combustion so shouldn't even be a factor in the exhaust fumes of a properly serviced modern (post 1993) car.

Perhaps it was a result of some kind of portable oil/gas heater used in a space with inadequate ventilation?

political analyst

alias no.9 wrote: »

Tragic circumstances. Carbon monoxide is is associated with incomplete combustion so shouldn't even be a factor in the exhaust fumes of a properly serviced modern (post 1993) car.

Perhaps it was a result of some kind of portable oil/gas heater used in a space with inadequate ventilation?

I don't know whether there was a portable heater in the man's car. I've no recollection of seeing mention of it in the paper article. His death took place in an area that is over 20 km from my home and which I don't know well.

Beasty

You wish to determine a cause of death in a case which has already been subject to an inquest?

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